What must it be like to be deafblind?
And if you are, how is it possible to perceive sound without hearing?
A temporary touring audio installation at MK Gallery over the weekend of September 5 & 6 will go some way to helping us understand how.
The No such thing as empty space project has been created by sound artist Matt Lewis and the national deafblind charity Sense.
Visitors will be able to try out ambisonic (surround-sound) systems, sub bass vests (allowing wearers to feel vibrations of low-end sound frequencies), and syntonic speakers, as they explore material gathered by Matt Lewis during a six month period of collaboration with people with sensory impairments.
More than eighty people from around the country took part in creative sessions involving experimental music making, improvisation, composing, and field recordings, drawn from such diverse places as airports and stations to cathedrals and swimming pools.
“We wanted to ask the question - How can we perceive sound without using our hearing?” explained Matt.
“Our immersive sound project creatively explores the extremes, deficits and vagaries of auditory and haptic perception.
“The intention was not merely to recreate aspects of the deafblind experience, but also to shed light on the intricacies of human perception in general.”
The No such thing as empty space project has been supported using public funding from Arts Council England, and has also involved the input of audiologists, sound designers, musicians and neuropsychologists.
Entry is free and visitors will be welcome any time during advertised gallery opening hours:
Saturday September 5, 11am-8pm Sunday September 6, 12 noon – 5pm
